Coffee: Beans to Buzz
Photo by National Geographic Channel
The National Geographic Channel will be screening Coffee: Beans to Buzz on Thursday, Jan 4 at 9 pm ET/PT. (Repeats: Friday, January 5, 12am ET/PT and Sunday, January 7, 3pm ET/PT).
From the press release:
Coffee: Beans to Buzz traces the epic saga of a potent little bean with a revolutionary impact that has helped break down social, political and economic barriers throughout the ages. Trace the fascinating tale of international trade and intrigue, chronicling how coffee traveled from Africa to the Middle East and then to Europe and the United States. From the planning of the French Revolution in coffeehouses to how drinking coffee became a patriotic duty in the American Colonies after the British taxed tea, coffee has been part of history and cultural shifts over the last several hundred years. …
Coffee: Beans to Buzz also examines Brazil’s leading role in the coffee industry, producing a quarter of the world’s supply. It is said that one romantic Frenchman supposedly smuggled the first coffee beans to Latin America. That led to the eventual rise of coffee barons and contributed to the subjugation of Indians and Africans, the destruction of rainforests and, ironically, the evolution of both democracy and dictatorships.
Experts include: Gerry Baldwin, Director, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, and Founder, Starbucks; Deborah James, Coffee Exchange; Corby Kummer, Food Writer/Editor, Atlantic Monthly; Nestor Osorio, Executive Director, International Coffee Organization; Mark Pendergrast, author, “Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World”; Jim Reynolds, Roastmaster, Peet’s Coffee & Tea; Donald Schoenholt, President, Gillies Coffee Company; Howard Schulz, CEO, Starbucks; Bennett Weinberg, author, “The World of Caffeine”; Chris Wille, Rainforest Alliance.
The hub actually received a press hamper with the release, a screener (which we will devour tonight and report posthaste), plus organic- and fair-trade-certified coffee and chocolate from Counter Culture Coffee and Global Exchange respectively. Well played, National Geographic. Well played.
Dustywheat said,
January 3, 2007 at 3:28 pm
They do have your number. I mean coffee and chocolate? Seriously. I think the movie is great already.
green la girl said,
January 4, 2007 at 2:52 am
Wow! How can I get on the National Geographic mailing list?! Too bad I don’t have cable — Looking forward to your report –
The Worsted Witch » Coffee: Beans to Buzz Tonight said,
January 4, 2007 at 8:11 am
[...] A reminder that Coffee: Beans to Buzz will be on the National Geographic Channel tonight at 9pm ET/PT. The documentary is mostly a history of coffee, although it does touch on the plight of the coffee farmers, deforestation, and fair trade, albeit rudimentarily. A decent-enough overview of what the kerfuffle is all about. [...]
amy dalton said,
January 5, 2007 at 8:27 am
hello saw the program last night* beans to buzz Just loved it*. Any way of getting a copy of it on a dvd? where do I go if so… okie dokie thanks a’latte : )
Andrej Podrekar said,
December 9, 2007 at 7:34 am
I just want to tell you that i like this photo very much. :) …girl with coffe cup is so cute… :)
-Andrej
Ozhan Yigitler said,
March 5, 2008 at 5:19 am
Hi,
I have watched the program to my disappointment about the history of coffee in Europe. It says Arabs sieged Vienna and tried to conquer the city. Correct me if I am mistaken but, it was the Ottoman Empire, ie Turks who tried to invade Vienna, and failing to do that left their ungrounded coffee beans when they went back. It is indeed funny to attribute this whole story to Arabs. This is not only incorrect but also a proof that the person speaking cannot tell the difference between Arabs and the Ottoman Empire. It is like calling every English-language-speaking person American. :-)